Stents are understood as tubular reinforcements that can be inserted into a blood vessel to provide an open path within the blood vessel. Stents have been widely used in intravascular angioplasty treatment of occluded cardiac arteries, wherein the stent may be inserted after an angioplasty procedure to prevent restenosis of the artery. Stents are often deployed by use of delivery devices which cause the stent to open with the objective of reinforcing the artery wall and provide a clear through-path in the artery thereby preventing restenosis.
However, the weakness and non-linear nature of the neurovasculature limits the applicability of such stents in procedures, for example, in repairing neurovascular defects. Furthermore, known delivery methods are less useful in vasoocclusive surgery, particularly when tiny vessels, such as those found in the brain, are to be treated. Accordingly, a need exists for a stent that can be used with delivery techniques in vasoocclusive treatment of neurovascular defects that provides selective reinforcement in the vicinity of the neurovascular defect. A need also exists for a stent that reduces trauma or risk of rupture to the blood vessel. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the various embodiments described below are presented.